Six teams, one goal: SAFF U-20 Cup

Kathmandu, Aug. 18: The second edition of the SAFF U-20 Championship is kicking off today (August 18) with host Nepal facing Sri Lanka in the opener at the ground of ANFA Complex in Satdobato, Lalitpur.

Host Nepal is eager to win the tournament and become only the second team after India to lift the SAFF U-18/19/20 championships at least once. Nepal won the SAFF U-19 and SAFF U-18 in their debut editions in 2015 and 2017 respectively. India won the two tournaments in their latest editions in 2023 and 2019 respectively. Likewise, India won the inaugural SAFF U-20 when it hosted the tournament in 2022.

Thus, India, as the defending champions and the favourites of all SAFF tournaments it participates in, is looking forward to keeping the title and continuing its dominance in the region.

Nevertheless, the other four teams – Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives – stressed that they were also participating with the mentality to lift the Cup and prove their improvement in football. The coaches and captains made their goal clear in the pre-match conference in Lalitpur on Saturday. 

While Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in Group A with Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives have India in Group B. The teams will play in a single round-robin format and the top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-final.

Favourable for Nepal

Urjan Shrestha, head coach of Nepal men’s U-20 team, informed that the squad could be called one of the ‘favourites’ of the tournament. 

“We have a squad consisting of 11 players who played in the SAFF U-19 Championship in 2023. Several players who did not make it to the squad last year have also made a comeback while we have some new fresh legs as well,” said Shrestha.

As per Nepal’s captain Kushal Deuba, the majority of the players have known each other for a couple of years while many have received exposure.

“We have players who have already debuted for the senior team and those who have played in the domestic divisions (A, B and C) alongside the Nepal Super League for quality clubs alongside experienced players,” said Deuba.

Moreover, the Nepali squad has been training at the ANFA Complex ground, the host of the tournament, making the players well aware of the conditions. “We would have struggled if the tournament was organised in Dasharath Rangasala because we have not got the chance to train on a grassy pitch. We will feel the shortage of fans as the parapets in Satdobato cannot accommodate many, yet we will win the Cup for every fan,” Shrestha added.

India on a high

India won the SAFF U-18, U-19, and U-20 championships in 2019, 2023, and 2024, respectively. And the team is more prepared for the upcoming tournament.

The squad trained in a camp in Goa and travelled to Bellary, Karnataka, for a week to improve themselves at the world-class facilities of the Inspire Institute of Sport.

“We prepared for around two months for the SAFF U-20. The players are motivated as they are the defending champions. We have around 10 players from the previous U-19 tournament,” said Ranjan Chaudhuri, head coach of the Indian side.

The Indian squad has four players who played in the Premier League Next Generation Cup 2024 for Punjab FC’s U-21. The under-21 side showcased a remarkable performance defeating the academy teams of Aston Villa 2-0 and Everton 2-1. Midfielder Manglenthang Kipgen, one of the four players, will be the player to watch from India.

Strong mindset of Bangladesh

Amidst the unrest, the Bangladeshi squad arrived in Kathmandu for the SAFF U-20 tournament with less training and preparation than others. 

“Due to some unlikely circumstances, we only had two weeks for practice. Many players from the squad in the U-19 Championship last year have continued. We reached the final in 2023 and expect to repeat it this year,” said Bangladesh’s head coach A.K.M. Maruful Haque.

According to Haque, they practised outside the capital city of Dhaka due to which they were not much affected by the ongoing transformation. “Bangladesh is transforming from one system to another. The players are mentally strong and have coped with the conditions. We want to win the Cup as it will encourage our transformation back home,” Haque added.

Better Bhutan

Bhutan has been investing highly in football over the years. The nation has prioritised to identifying new talents and providing them with proper platforms to play and develop.

Bhutan only has a couple of changes to the squad that played last year in SAFF U-19. “Our squad could only train for one and a half months together. However, they were active in the domestic league. Overall, we are prepared well for the tournament,” said Hideharu Takahashi, head coach of the Bhutanese squad.

The 3-2 loss to Paro FC before the club travelled to Nepal for the match against Church Boys United on August 13 added experience to the team, informed Bhutan’s captain. Meanwhile, Bhutan’s captain expressed the team’s desire to see support from their fans in the stadium as it would motivate them more.

Struggle for the Maldives 

The Maldives do not have a good record in the SAFF tournaments. But the coach and captain said that the team had arrived with a stronger aim.

Having around a dozen players in the squad from 2023 SAFF U-19, the Maldivian head coach Ahmed Shakir informed that the team targeted to reach the final after preparing for the past month.

“I can see improvement following the efforts put in by the players. India is the favourite of the tournament while Bhutan has good young players. We have our challenges, but we will overcome the challenge. We plan to target Bhutan in the group stage and progress further,” said Shakir.

Sri Lanka’s comeback

Sri Lanka did not participate in the SAFF U-19 Championship last year, but the team is prepared for the task, claimed Sri Lanka’s coach Rajamani Devasagayam.

“We have worked extremely hard for a month. We have the quality of attacking. It is going to be a good tournament,” said Devasagayam.

Reflecting upon the setback felt by the team during the ban by FIFA in 2023, Devasagayam informed that the players were playing at school-level football which provided them with a platform to remain active.

“Our target is to reach the final and lift the Cup. The players, coaches and officials have given their best and we shall win the tournament,” said Muhammedhu Munsif, captain of the Sri Lankan side.